Following their 11-goal exit from the 2017 finals series at the hands of the GWS Giants, West Coast were widely tipped to tumble down the ladder with the loss of over 1000 games of experience after the likes of Matt Priddis, Sam Mitchell, Drew Petrie and Sam Butler all hung up the boots for 2018.

Given that the festive season is almost upon us, which happens to coincide with the middle of the AFL off-season, I thought I would take the opportunity to review a couple of footy books over the next week or so.

No one has won or lost this year’s trade period, because you can’t be a winner or a loser this far out from the 2019 season. This column doesn’t crown winners and losers, but it does have views on the most important outcomes from this year’s trade period.

The 2018 season is the second time in a decade that, when the vibe of Australian Rules Football has wandered into a defensive vogue, West Coast has stepped in, based their play on pace and superior ball use, won the premiership and restored equilibrium.